We are constantly being advised that coaches are not welcome at National Trust locations at certain times despite operating tours to sites which members would not visit unless on a coach tour.
In essence, the National Trust favours those who travel by car, and is prejudiced against members who travel by coach.
It is happy to take membership from both, but not give equal opportunity when travelling to sites.
One example is Hardwick Hall, which states on its website that no coach bookings can be made for weekend visits. Even when we explain to National Trust in discussions the principle of coach travellers deserving the same right to visit as motorists, it does not seem to care, and justifies its position with the logic that parking a large vehicle is harder than all the cars.
We are also asked to comply with Euro VI and be as eco-friendly as possible, but the National Trust, which is supposed to look after sites and the environment, feels that 25 cars are less polluting than one coach load of its members!
We also find the whole debacle of contacting the Trust to discuss this a farce. We were given a phone number to its call centre that is not recognised for its travel trade team.
Basically, the message from the National Trust sites — and I quote — is “simply tell your clients to come on a different day.”
The National Trust still has not come back to discuss this with me at time of writing. Operators need to be aware of the ‘not welcome unless we say so’ attitude of the National Trust, and its members need to be aware that the payment they make does not allow those who do not drive the same freedom to visit sites by coach.
Steven Plummer
Melksham
